A 28-year-old Japanese sumo wrestler has died after contracting the coronavirus, his association said.
According to an announcement from the Japan Sumo Association (JSA), he became the first victim of the ancient sport due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Shobushi, whose real name was Kiyotaka Suetake, died of internal organ failure due to the coronavirus,
Kyodo News reported that the 28-year-old sumo wrestler tested positive on April 10, and was given intensive care as soon as his condition worsened.
The chairman of JSA Hakkaku said he could imagine how the 28-year-old wrestler battled the deadly virus for a month.
"But like a Japanese sumo wrestler, he defended and fought it valiantly. I just want him to rest in peace," said Hakkaku.
The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the JSA plans to conduct antibody tests on 1,000 of its members, making it the largest in the world of sports in the "Sakura" country.
Last April, the sumo master announced that five sumo wrestlers and a stablemaster had been exposed to the virus, officially known as SARS-Cov-2.
Read also: Cartoon wrestlers in France spark protests in Japan
"Amazing sumo wrestling"
Shobushi first developed a fever of 38 degrees Celsius on April 4. His coach said they had difficulty finding a hospital to treat him.
Initially, he was rushed to a hospital in Tokyo on April 8 after his fever did not subside. From there, Shobushi started vomiting blood.
Japan protested cartoons published in a French print media. This time for a cartoon depicting two Japanese sumo wrestlers fighting in front of the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant (NPP). A series of cartoons appeared in France, following the designation of Tokyo, the capital of Japan, as the host of the 2020 Olympics.
Quoted from the AP, Thursday (12/9/2013), Cabinet Minister Yoshihide Suga said Tokyo intends to file an official objection to the weekly Le Canard Enchaine through the Japanese Embassy. According to Suga, this cartoon insults the impact of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011 and misrepresents the condition of the nuclear power plant.
The cartoon was published on Wednesday (11/9/2013). It is depicted, two sumo wrestlers who each have extra long arms and legs, while their bodies are emaciated, fight in front of the PLN Dai-ichi in Fukushima. Below this sumo cartoon, another cartoon is also depicted which shows two workers in front of a pool of water wearing anti-nuclear radiation suits.
In the cartoon, the two workers are holding a Geiger radiation counter. They then said, water sports facilities have been completed in Fukushima.
The Fukushima nuclear power plant experienced an unresolved leak after a devastating earthquake followed by a tsunami hit Japan in March 2011. The international community was angered when the nuclear power plant manager drained reactor coolant which still contained radioactive water into the ocean due to technical considerations.
However, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe assured the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that the radioactive leak was "under control". Japan selected to host 2020 Olympics
Seorang pesumo Jepang berusia 28 tahun meninggal setelah terinfeksi virus corona, demikian keterangan dari asosiasinya.
Berdasarkan pengumuman dari Asosiasi Sumo Jepang (JSA), dia menjadi korban pertama di olahraga kuno itu karena pandemi Covid-19.
Shobushi, yang nama aslinya adalah Kiyotaka Suetake, meninggal karena kegagalan organ dalam akibat virus corona,
Dilaporkan Kyodo News, pesumo 28 tahun itu positif saat dites pada 10 April, dan segera mendapatkan perawatan intensif begitu kondisinya memburuk.
Ketua JSA Hakkaku mengatakan, dia bisa membayangkan bagaimana pegulat 28 tahun itu berjuang melawan virus mematikan tersebut selama sebulan.
"Tapi seperti pesumo Jepang, dia bertahan dan melawannya dengan gagah berani. Saya hanya ingin dia beristirahat dengan damai," kata Hakkaku.
Yomiuri Shimbun melaporkan, JSA berencana menggelar pemeriksaan antibodi terhadap 1.000 anggotanya, menjadi yang terbesar di dunia olahraga Negeri "Sakura".
April lalu, induk sumo itu mengumumkan bahwa lima pesumo dan seorang stablemaster (pelatih) terpapar virus dengan nama resmi SARS-Cov-2.
Baca juga: Kartun Pesumo di Perancis Picu Protes Jepang
"Pesumo yang menakjubkan"
Shobushi pertama menderita demam 38 derajat Celsius pada 4 April. Pelatihnya mengungkapkan mereka sempat kesulitan mendapatkan rumah sakit untuk merawatnya.
Awalnya, dia dilarikan ke rumah sakit di Tokyo pada 8 April setelah demamnya tak kunjung menurun. Dari situ, Shobushi mulai muntah darah.
Jepang memprotes kartun yang dimuat sebuah media cetak Perancis. Kali ini untuk kartun yang menggambarkan dua pesumo Jepang bertarung di depan pusat pembangkit listrik tenaga nuklir (PLTN) Fukushima yang hancur. Serangkaian kartun muncul di Perancis, menyusul penetapan Tokyo, ibu kota Jepang, sebagai tuan rumah Olimpiade 2020.
Dikutip dari AP, Kamis (12/9/2013), Menteri Kabinet Yoshihide Suga mengatakan, Tokyo berniat mengajukan keberatan resmi kepada mingguan Le Canard Enchaine melalui Kedubes Jepang. Menurut Suga, kartun ini menghina dampak bencana gempa bumi dan tsunami yang melanda Jepang pada Maret 2011 dan keliru menampilkan kondisi PLTN itu.
Kartun tersebut dimuat pada Rabu (11/9/2013). Digambarkan, dua pesumo yang masing-masing mempunyai tangan dan kaki ekstra panjang, sementara badan mereka kurus kering, bertarung di depan PLN Dai-ichi di Fukushima. Di bawah kartun sumo ini, digambarkan pula kartun lain yang memperlihatkan dua pekerja di depan sebuah kolam air mengenakan pakaian anti-radiasi nuklir.
Dalam kartun itu, kedua pekerja memegang alat penghitung radiasi Geiger. Mereka lalu berkata, fasilitas olahraga air sudah selesai dibangun di Fukushima.
PLTN Fukushima mengalami kebocoran yang tak kunjung tuntas, setelah gempa dahsyat diikuti tsunami menghajar Jepang pada Maret 2011. Kalangan internasional dibuat marah ketika pengelola PLTN mengalirkan air pendingin reaktor yang masih mengandung radioaktif ke lautan karena pertimbangan teknis.
Namun, Perdana Menteri Jepang Shinzo Abe memberi jaminan kepada Komite Olimpiade Internasional (IOC) bahwa kebocoran radioaktif tersebut masih "dalam kontrol". Jepang terpilih menjadi tuan rumah Olimpiade 2020